England and Wales Criminal Registers (Middlesex), 1791-1802

The dataset has been created from registers of prisoners in Newgate Prison charged with indictable offences, most for trial at the Old Bailey. The information given includes the name of the prisoner, offences charged and outcomes, with physical descriptions and biographical details in many cases.

In the 19th century, British prisons recorded ever-increasing amounts of physical, biometric and biographical information about prisoners. However, it is very unusual for 18th-century records to contain this type of detail, and these registers are consequently a rare and rich source. (Indeed, they surpass many 19th-century prison records because they are not restricted to convicted prisoners.) Their usefulness is further enhanced by information about the outcomes of cases.